Friday, January 03, 2014

Antarctic rescue: Chinese rescue ship Xue Long also 'stuck in ice'

The Chinese vessel, Xue Long, has confirmed fears
that it has also become stuck in the ice

The Chinese ice-breaker that helped
rescue passengers stranded on the Akademik Shokalskiy vessel in Antarctica is
now stuck itself. An Australian ice-breaker carrying the rescued passengers is no longer on
standby and is returning to shore.

On Thursday, a helicopter from the Chinese ship, Xue Long, transferred 52
passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy to the Aurora Australis. The Russian boat has been trapped by thick floes of ice since
December 24th.

"Xue Long's attempt to manoeuvre through the ice... was unsuccessful. Xue
Long has confirmed to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) [that] it
is beset by ice," Amsa
said in a statement on Saturday.
"The master of Xue Long has confirmed to Amsa that the
ship is safe, it is not in distress and does not require assistance at this
time," Amsa said, adding that there was no immediate danger to the ice-breaker's
crew.

The Australian Aurora Australis had been asked to remain in open water nearby
in case the Xue Long needed help - but Amsa said this was no longer needed and
it had been released from its search and rescue mission. The authority added that the Australian vessel was travelling to the Casey
research base on the Windmill Islands, just outside the Antarctic Circle, to
collect supplies before continuing to Hobart - the capital of the Australian
state of Tasmania.

The Xue Long was originally summoned to
break a clear route through the pack ice to the smaller Russian vessel. That turned out to be impossible
and the large icebreaker became surrounded and trapped just as firmly by the ice as the smaller research vessel.

All 52 passengers on the Shokalskiy were rescued and
transferred to the Aurora Australis on Thursday

A helicopter from the Chinese Xue Long transported
the passengers

Passengers from the Shokalskiy stamped out a
helicopter landing site on the ice

It is the latest twist in what has become a complicated rescue operation in
the Antarctic. The Akademik Shokalskiy, a Russian research vessel, became trapped by thick
floes of ice driven by strong winds, about 1,500 nautical miles south of
Hobart.

The vessel was being used by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) 2013
to follow the route explorer Douglas Mawson travelled a century ago. Several attempts to break through to the ship by sea - by the Xue Long,
Aurora Australis and French-flagged L'Astrolabe - failed because of the
thickness of the ice.

The team on board said the ship was stocked with food and was in no
danger. On Thursday, a helicopter from the Xue Long managed to fly the Shokalskiy's
passengers and researchers in groups to an ice floe next to the Aurora
Australis. They were then ferried to the Aurora Australis by a
small boat.

Most of the Russian crew-members are staying on board the Akademik Shokalskiy
until the vessel is able to reach open water. Members of the AAE have paid tribute to the Chinese captain, Jianzhong Wang,
and his crew. Prof Tracey Rogers, a marine biologist at the University of New South Wales,
said: "The Chinese captain is an incredible ambassador for his country."
Prof Rogers also praised the helicopter evacuation team that made five
separate flights to ferry the AAE members from the stranded Shokalskiy to a
makeshift helipad close to the Aurora Australis.
"Under really difficult circumstances, they were efficient, fast and so well
coordinated," she said.

Prof Chris Turney, co-leader of the AAE 2013, said he was sorry to hear that
the Xue Long was now in difficulty: " They are heroes. We are hoping that they, along with the
crew of the Shokalskiy, will be free as soon as possible."

There are 111 individuals on the Xue Long and 22 remaining crew on the
Shokalskiy.